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mr. smarty pants jan 2015

A dog can locate a sound’s source in 1/600 of a second.

In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin suggested that breeding dogs could improve a person’s courage, tolerance, and stubbornness. Some American settlers heading west believed dogs could smell water, as Darwin also suggested.

Avocado can make dogs sick because it contains persin, a fungicidal toxin.

Olympic silver medalist skier Gus Kenworthy adopted a mother dog and her four puppies in Sochi, where the government had hired pest control services to kill stray dogs. One dog died before he was allowed to leave and another died in transit. Three dogs survived: Jake, Mishka, and Mamuchka.

A dog’s shoulder blades aren’t attached to the rest of the skeleton, which allows them greater flexibility when running.

The above is information that Mr. Smarty Pants read in a book, magazine, newspaper, or website; heard on the radio; saw on television; or overheard at a party. Got any facts? Email them to Mr. Smarty Pants for possible inclusion in the column at mrpants@austinchronicle.com. “Mr. Smarty Pants Knows” and the logo, copyright 2014, R.U. Steinberg.

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